Mansell says Jenson's had it!

[Marbot]

Mansell can't stop talking just lately.

http://www.crash.net/news_view~cid~1~id~152604.htm

Not sure about the "great car" in 2004!

[Super Hans]

Nigel was 38 when he won the title.

Jenson is 27.

I'll keep the faith for a little while yet.

[mjstallard]

I know times change and all, but I find it kind of funny that Mansell had his F1 debut at roughly the same age that Jenson is now.

Unless Honda sort themselves out though, I fear he has a point - I can't see any openings in the top four teams that would allow him to move up. If Alonso were to leave McLaren I doubt they would take on another Brit, BMW have a decent line up all sorted which seems to potentially be contigent on Alonso's decision for next year, Ferrari is sorted for now and Renault have Nelsinho waiting in the wings to take Fisico's seat.

I guess it's just an unfortunate side effect of being in an era where there is so much tightly matched talent across the grid with so few cars that are really on the money.

[Super Hans]

Throughout history there have been many great Grand Prix drivers whose career statistics don't give a fair indication of their talent. Moss, Brooks, Amon, Peterson, Villeneuve...etc.

Jenson may end up in this catergory.

[Ralf's Girl]

I think he's got a point. Even though Button still has time on his side, there are plenty of talented young drivers coming through, and team bosses obviously believe that they're good enough because we're seeing drivers like Hamilton, Rosberg, Kubica etc. coming through plus others like Piquet Jr knocking on the door. Button's had 130-odd races to prove himself and doesn't seem to be convincing anybody.

I think Mansell's point about having too much, too soon really rings true - when Button first came into F1 he seemed to be preoccupied with moving to Monaco, finding a new girlfriend, buying a yacht... Add to that the fact that he's been badly advised (with proper management he could have avoided all the squabbling between Williams and Honda) and I'm not sure we'll ever see him fulfil his potential, which is a real shame.

[FPV GTHO]

I dont think Buttons misfortunes are as self inflicted as Mansell seems to say. Maybe his first win shouldve come in 2004, maybe he shouldnt have had so many contract wrangles but its all down to Honda the last few years for why there hasnt been any success. He's still 27, looking at his team mate thats got to mean hes got 7 more competitive years where he can do something. Doubtful his last shred of hope in Honda will keep him there for that time, but if he can make the most of what he's got now which means consistently outperforming Barrichello again, and at least showing some hope then surely he can get his career back on track. Heidfeld got his career back after 2004 afterall.

[Super Hans]

Originally Posted by Ralf's Girl

Button's had 130-odd races to prove himself and doesn't seem to be convincing anybody.

He convinces quite a few people. The only time Jenson has driven badly is at Benetton / Renault. He had a good first season but allowed outside distractions to intrude too much on his career, and since moving to BAR he's been, for my money, one of the top 5 drivers in the sport.

Say what you like about his starts:win ratio, but like Heidfeld, he's never been in a car capable of winning consistently.

[Ralf's Girl]

Originally Posted by Super Hans

He convinces quite a few people. The only time Jenson has driven badly is at Benetton / Renault. He had a good first season but allowed outside distractions to intrude too much on his career, and since moving to BAR he's been, for my money, one of the top 5 drivers in the sport.

But does he give team bosses any reason to want to hire him rather than taking a punt on a young, quick guy like Kubica, Vettel etc.? If he wanted to leave Honda, I think he'd have some tough competition to find a drive with a competitive team because young drivers are coming in and showing that they can do the job.

I think there must be some question marks over his development abilities as well - I know he's highly rated by the people at Honda, but he's been with the team as they've built worse and worse cars. How much of a role have the drivers played in this? As far as I can tell, neither Button nor Barrichello seems to be able to pinpoint what the problem with this year's car is!

[Adam43]

Mansell has had similar opinions for sometime:
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/49598
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/48664

[davyboy]

Mansell's never been a fan of Button... not sure why, but he's used the opportunity to get the dagger in a few times before. However I do see Mansell's point this time. Honda have been in bad shape for a while now. Most would admit that last year's win was a fluke. Jenson is about as hungry as a fully fed elephant right now and appears quite content to sit it out season after season while Honda rearrange deck chairs on the titanic. Time is slipping away... and so is his career. If his career means more to him than the trappings, he needs to leave Honda and go to a team that have the will and resources to get to front. Trouble is, the longer he stays where he is, the fewer the opportunities for him to do that.

Age doesn't really have a bearing on it for two reasons : First... its more to do with how long you are in F1 than how old you are. Second... it seems the opportunities for older debutants to make a mark in the sport are fewer than they were in Mansell's time.

[Gt_R]

Frankly, with a contract with Honda, what can he do?

Remember that he had already defaulted on one with Williams which has hit his reputation some what. Now, at Honda, all he can do is to be a team player, pull his team together and push it forward as best as he can, and meanwhile do the best driving he could.

Driving wise, i think Button has done reasonably well, considering the car he has. Give him the same Mclaren or Ferrari and he will win races, because i think there are enough occasions that has shown that Button is potentially good enough to be a consistent race winner, though not as hungry a WDC challenger like Alonso.

Right now, the issue is with the car, not the drivers, and Honda has signed a few people. It will take time, but meanwhile, Button is a sitting duck with a crippled wing.

[Mr V]

Crash Net

Nigel Mansell believes Jenson Button has missed the opportunity to ever be classed as a Formula 1 great.

Doesn't mean he's "had it"

[davyboy]

Originally Posted by Gt_R

Frankly, with a contract with Honda, what can he do?

Remember that he had already defaulted on one with Williams which has hit his reputation some what. Now, at Honda, all he can do is to be a team player, pull his team together and push it forward as best as he can, and meanwhile do the best driving he could.

Driving wise, i think Button has done reasonably well, considering the car he has. Give him the same Mclaren or Ferrari and he will win races, because i think there are enough occasions that has shown that Button is potentially good enough to be a consistent race winner, though not as hungry a WDC challenger like Alonso.

Right now, the issue is with the car, not the drivers, and Honda has signed a few people. It will take time, but meanwhile, Button is a sitting duck with a crippled wing.

I thought Button was there by choice not compulsion. I'm fairly sure he has performance clauses in his contract... which Honda are a million miles from right now.

I think Mansells point was that he's been a long time in F1, enjoys the trappings and isn't as hungry as he was in the beginning... which is probably true.

[Moneyseeker]

Originally Posted by davyboy

I thought Button was there by choice not compulsion. I'm fairly sure he has performance clauses in his contract... which Honda are a million miles from right now.

I think Mansells point was that he's been a long time in F1, enjoys the trappings and isn't as hungry as he was in the beginning... which is probably true.

It's kind of easy to get in the comfort zone, by that I don't mean that JB is cruising, but when expectation is low, the car is poor and not improving it's very easy to get in a cycle of that's how life is. JB realistically has zero pressure on his shoulders on a GP weekend, because the car is so poor the media expects very little from him, he's not in the hunt for pole, wins or even points.

Jenson needs a new challenge, which means not hanging around for Honda to get it right in the end. It's a shame he didn't gel well with Flav as maybe a return to Renault would be good for both parties.

[davyboy]

Originally Posted by Moneyseeker

It's kind of easy to get in the comfort zone, by that I don't mean that JB is cruising, but when expectation is low, the car is poor and not improving it's very easy to get in a cycle of that's how life is. JB realistically has zero pressure on his shoulders on a GP weekend, because the car is so poor the media expects very little from him, he's not in the hunt for pole, wins or even points.

Jenson needs a new challenge, which means not hanging around for Honda to get it right in the end. It's a shame he didn't gel well with Flav as maybe a return to Renault would be good for both parties.

That's it in a nutshell and while he remains in a comfort zone his career will ebb away.

[Dutton]

There has to be a fair bit of room for Prodrive rumours?

[nycuk]

As much as I respect Mansells driving, I never took too much heed in his comments... This is the man who 'retired' in 1990 to 'put his family first' before reappearing in 1991 after all... I still believe in Jenson - if Alonso quits F1 after winning a third WDC (which I think he would) Button would be IMO the obvious replacement.

[Marbot]

Fry strikes back!

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/61450

[Down F0rce]

Button will never do anything at Honda. If he was in a better team, maybe.

[JeremySmith]

Complete dribble..One way of keeping your name in the media I suppose.

[runshaw]

Originally Posted by Down F0rce

Button will never do anything at Honda. If he was in a better team, maybe.

He already has in case you haven't noticed. He blew Jacques Villeneuve into oblivion in 2003.

In 2004 when Ferrari had the most successful car in F1 history Button finished 3rd behind only the 2 Ferrari's and scored over 70% of the team's points.

2005 he scored 98% of the team's points despite being excluded from a race and not allowed to take part in 2 races, finishing 9th in the championship after scoring points in all of the final 10 races.

2006- Victory from 14th on grid at Hungary. Highest scoring driver in the world championship for the final third of the season. Scored 26 more points than 9 time winner Barrichello and beat him easily in qualifying.

2007- Bad car. Has so far scored the only point of the season for the team.

And you say he will NEVER do anything at Honda as if it is a fact.

[Marbot]

Many in the paddock were impressed by his first lap performance in Germany this year.Maybe a better car would have seen him continue until the last lap.

[Super Hans]

Originally Posted by JeremySmith

Complete dribble..

[pedant]I think you mean drivel.[/pedant]

[JamesRamone]

I love Mansell, he's one of my favourite drivers. Also i generally think Button will never win the WDC. But if you read Mansell's own book, by his own admissions people wrote him off, said he was too old, past it, had missed his chance etc. So it seems abit strange comming from someone like him, who took so long to get his deserved title (im not saying Button deserves one, he's yet to fully prove that).

I just think Buttons made some bad choices, and i doubt he ever will get a proper title shot now.

[Notso Swift]

Originally Posted by martyn bott

Many in the paddock were impressed by his first lap performance in Germany this year.Maybe a better car would have seen him continue until the last lap.

Indeed, when interviewed Webber said he was amazed that Button drove so quickly the wet conditions

(or, as Sir Humpry would say, "very ambitious" )